Download Festival

Download Festival

With just over 5 weeks to go until the UK’s premier rock festival, The Download Festival at Donnington Park opens its doors to tens of thousands of die-hard rock fans, organisers have announced a brand new set of bands confirmed to perform at this year’s event.
 
Sunset Strip glam-rockers Steel Panther, death metallers Trigger The Bloodshed (who played Download in 2008), Iron Maiden offspring Lauren Harris (who has played Download twice before) and British punk rockers Hexes (who include Radio 1 Rock Show host Daniel P.Carter in their line up) will be joined by Hollywood Undead, Hunting The Minotaur, Japanese Voyeurs, White Man Kamikaze, Loverman, Black Spiders, General Fiasco, Sacred Mother Tongue, 69 Eyes, Dear Superstar, Pulled Apart From Horses, Violent Soho And Brides.
 
These acts join headliners Faith No More, Slipknot and Def Leppard in Download’s 7th year in celebrating the true diversity of rock music with all sub-genres catered for, whether you’re into thrash metal, classic rock, prog-metal or nu-metal!

HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD

Forming in 2005 this rap rock band from California remain a mystery – adorning individual masks and with names like Johnny 3 Tears, J-Dog, Da Kurlzz and Funny Man this LA band are nothing short of exciting. This will be their first appearance at Download Festival.

LAUREN HARRIS

Lauren Harris, daughter of Iron Maiden legend Steve Harris is no stranger to Download Festival having appeared in 2006 and 2007. She returns this year with her debut album Calm Before The Storm under her belt, ready to rock Download once again!

HUNTING THE MINOTAUR

Describing their music as ‘angry smash punk’. This British quartet are promising dual guitar riffs, destructive bass frequencies and big, hard bloody beats.  This will be their first Download appearance and definitely not their last.

JAPANESE VOYEURS

Japanese Voyeurs are a London-based five piece based around charismatic lead singer Romily Alice. Their unique sound and Romily’s unusual love-it-or-hate-it vocals got the band instantly snapped up by Fiction Records.
 

WHITE MAN KAMIKAZE

London band White Man Kamikaze supported the Sex Pistols at Hammersmith Apollo in 2008 and have been lauded by the likes of Mark Lamarr and Alan McGee and have won over various indie music critics with their NYC-style garage rock.

STEEL PANTHER

Legendary LA glam-rockers Steel Panther have the longest running show on the Sunset Strip and mix up tributes to 80s hair metal with comedy and on stage antics. Various A-list rock stars and celebrities have joined them on stage such as Juliette Lewis, Jeremy Piven, Tom Morello and P!nk.

LOVERMAN

Loverman are Gabriel Bruce, Jon Jackson and Chris and Adam Prendergast. They've read too many dirty books and watched too many dirty films and now make loud dirty music. Soaked in sleaze and grunge, they are set to take their place amongst their fallen idols, in the darkest, dankest, underbelly of pop.

BLACK SPIDERS

Hotly tipped British rockers Black Spiders, who feature ex-Groop Dogdrill member Pete Spiby, claim they sound like ‘Black Sabbath eating Guns N Roses for breakfast’ and have won full support from the UK rock press for their ‘crotch-rodden sleaze rock’.

GENERAL FIASCO

Tipped by XFM, Radio 1 and 6 Music, Get Fiasco are currently finishing their debut album in Northern Ireland, having formed in 2007. Usually on tour with indie bands such as The Pigeon Detectives, Download’s bound to be one heck of an eye opener!

TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED

Bath-based grindcore outfit Trigger The Bloodshed stormed the stage at last year’s Download and will be coming back with new album The Great Depression which has received rave reviews in the UK rock press.

SACRED MOTHER TONGUE

Northampton metallers Sacred Mother Tongue have already received some great write ups in the rock press with Metal Hammer calling them ‘the most convincing British metal bands to emerge in a long time’. Their album The Ruin Of Man was out in April.

THE 69 EYES

Finland’s The 69 Eyes are currently recording with Slayer producer Matt Hyde, working on their self proclaimed sleazy blend of post-apocalyptic rock ‘n’ roll, having previously worked with Ville Valo and Bam Margera.

DEAR SUPERSTAR

Manchester’s Dear Superstar have been winning over fans through their support slot on the recent Papa Roach UK tour and will be looking forward to catching up with them at Download! Two albums under their belt and some guest vocals from Bullet for My Valentine have done these boys well so far.

HEXES

Hexes are a British punk band featuring former A bassist and current Radio 1 Rock Show presenter Daniel P. Carter. Support slots coming up with Gallows and Alexisonfire will undoubtedly pull in even more fans for this popular lot.

PULLED APART BY HORSES

Leeds alt-rockers Pulled Apart By Horses have been linked to a supposed new ‘grunge’ movement in Yorkshire but maintain they also listen to the likes of Refused and Black Sabbath just as much. Their energetic live show is not to be missed.

BRIDES

Brighton crossover quartet Brides are shaping up for good things since forming in 2007. Blending punk, metal, prog and post hardcore they’re now part of the Visible Noise stable with album Ocular. Unveil out now.


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